Love Notes
by jenna's last jam
Summary: All is well at the Pie Hole until Ned begins receiving mysterious love notes from a secret admirer. He is quick to think it is one person, but jumping to a conclusion often ends in someone getting hurt, and someone being terribly wrong.
1. Chapter 1

It was in a pretty pink envelope. A heart sticker held the flap down. It was even scented.

Ned found the odd package in his doorway after a long and stressful day at the Pie Hole. They

had introduced a new pie flavor, triple berry chocolate. It had been Chuck's idea. People came from all over to taste the Pie Maker's new confection. Chuck helped him hand out the pies to the flow of customers that seemed never ending. Olive seemed to disappear at random points in the day. She told Ned that she wasn't feeling well, but she wouldn't go home. Little did he know, Olive had spent the day decorating that envelope. She had written the poem inside the night before.

Ned put it in his coat pocket. Protecting it from the view of gossiping neighbors. His apartment was empty. No Chuck in sight. He pressed his ear to the wall and heard the faint sound of laughter. It was two women. One's laugh was high pitched. Almost like a squeal. The other warmer and slower. He knew Chuck had gone to Olive's.

He sat and opened the envelope. Pulling out the white sheet inside.

The black ink seemed to dance upon the page. A lonely waltz, one beautiful and tragic all

at the same time. He read it over and over.

_Sweet Ned, _

_Forced to sit here in my proverbial tower_

_I grow more impatient by the hour._

_Unable to touch, only to stare, _

_Sitting and waiting, alone in my chair._

_Sincerely, Your Secret admirer. _

He tried to decode the handwriting, but all females looked the same to him. The third line gave him a hint. _Unable to touch, only to stare. _

It must be Chuck, it must be.

Ned decided to go over to Olive's and get his secret admirer. He had just bought more saran wrap the other day.

Little did he know, his secret admirer wasn't the one he was planning to kiss.. by proxy.

Chuck held the mug with the horse head on it high above her head.

"Here's to good friends, good times and GREAT booze!"

Olive lifted hers in response.

"Let's hear it for the booze!"

They clinked the mugs together. Drops of their coffee/liquor concoction poured on their heads. Olive craned her neck up to find the source of the mysterious precipitation.

"CHUCK! IT'S RAINING BOOZE!" Olive cackled and doubled in half. Chuck joined her.

They had been drinking like this for the past hour. They would have invited Ned, but he didn't seem like a drinker.

Ned didn't see the girls at first. But he sure did hear them. He turned around once, thinking he

should let them have fun. But with his luck Chuck would get alcohol poisoning, and have to be

taken to the hospital. He couldn't lie about who she was then. Lonely tourist Charlotte Charles who died on a cruise ship. Now alive again in a hospital. Alive.

"Ned is that you?" A very drunken Olive came out of her kitchen. A half empty mug was clutched in her hand.

"Hi Olive, I was just here to check on Chuck?"

"Oh, okay." Olive turned her head and yelled. "CHUCK GET IN HERE! LOVER BOY IS PICKING YOU UP!"

Chuck stumbled into the livingroom with a matching horse mug in her hand.

"Do you have to scream?! I'm right here!." She shook her head and looked at Ned. "Hi sweetie pie what's shakin'?" She stumbled a bit and began to fall but Olive caught her. Ned breathed a sigh of relief.

"I think you should come home Chuck." She didn't answer, but she followed Ned out the door.

"Byeeee besst friennnnnnd!"

Olive laughed, though nothing was really funny. Nothing at all.

Chuck awoke with a pounding head ache, and a note.

_-Chuck_

_Tried not to wake you. Went down to the Pie Hole._

_See you in a while. _

_-Ned_

She smiled and held the note, kissed it, and laid it on her pillow. She closed her eyes and imagined it was Ned beside her. Her fantasy lasted until another pang of pain went through her head. Which in reality wasn't long at all.

In the apartment next door Olive clutched her head as well. After Chuck had left, she continued to drink the rest of the Brandy that was left in her fridge. Her eyes blurred as she rolled over to check her alarm clock. _9:24_. The Pie Hole opened 1 hour and 24 minutes prior to Olive's awakening. Startled, she leaped out of bed and tried to run to her bathroom, which resulted in her doing a face plant in her hallway. She cursed, but quickly shut her mouth, realizing how terrible her breath smelled. She could only imagine Ned leaving her a note, telling her he was firing her and that him and Chuck were going to get married in Barbados.

Overcome by anger, pain, jealousy, and the effects of a bad hangover, Olive felt it was best to do only one thing. So, she sat up in her narrow hallway, and cried. The flow of salty tears washed away the remnants of yesterday's eyeliner and mascara. She was glad that she had opted not to wear her glitter eyeshadow yesterday. She was already looking like a mess, it would be even worse if she was a glittery mess. The nearest tissue box was in her bathroom. It would be a daring feat for her to get up for it in her condition. Olive wished she could disappear, but the tears kept falling. Olive felt utterly alone in the world, but if she had only looked up, she would have seen Ned standing in her doorway.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N : I can't believe I forgot to write this before BUT I want to credit my dear friend Sarah for writing the first poem. Thanks for the lovely reviews :) Another thing.. I forgot a disclaimer, and aren't those the most entertaining parts?**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Pushing Daises, Anna, Kristin and I would go on shopping trips.. But instead I write fics while they get to be cool celebs. -sigh-**

Olive gasped at the sight of Ned. How long had he been there? Did he see her crying? Did he never want to see her again?

Ned dug his hands deeper into his pockets, as if searching for something not there. His first instinct was to leave, but something couldn't tear him away from the tragedy in front of him.

"I...You were late and I was..." Ned decided to stop talking, it could only make the situation go from really bad to really awkward. He motioned towards the door and began walking out. He was two steps out when he heard a cry from Olive's apartment.

"Ned!" Olive had begun crying again.

"You don't have to come in today Olive, I understand."

Olive looked up at him like a bewildered child.

"That's why I came up here. Your door was unlocked." He cleared his throat and left.

Olive pulled her legs to her chest, wiping her eyes on her knees.

"Chuck, Olive's not coming in today."

Chuck slowly rolled pie dough into crusts. Every once and a while she would stop and hold her hand to her head. Even though it didn't make the pounding go away.

"Lucky her." She mumbled as she began on another pie crust.

"What?"

"Nothing."

Ned threw on an apron and went into the back storage room. It reeked of dead fruit, because that's what it was filled with. The pie of the day was Peach Pandemonium and customers couldn't snatch it up quick enough.

Ned grabbed a tray of over expired peaches and touched them. They sprung back to life and their aroma was like an instant air freshener to the storage room.

Satisfied with himself, he brought them back into the kitchen and began looking for his gloves. It took him longer then expected. 60 seconds longer.

Chuck reached over to the counter to grab an apple to slice, but the entire tray of Granny Smith's had turned sour and moldy.

"Ned!" She crossed her arms and glared. Not like it was going to help.

He smiled innocently like a five year old when he gets mud on his best Sunday clothes.

Ned had been working with the peaches for a few minutes when someone entered the back door of the Pie Hole. Only a few people had the key to the backdoor. Ned, Emerson, Chuck and one very emotionally torn Olive, who slowly entered. Her cheery disposition was nonexistent. Her red and puffy eyes were covered by a large pair of black sunglasses. Chuck would have dismissed this, but she looked out the window and saw it was overcast. Ned knew why Olive was wearing the sunglasses.

Her green uniform clung tightly to her body as usual, she was wearing death defying heels as usual, her hair was short and blonde as usual but something was wrong with Olive Snook.

She slouched as she walked, and sniffled every other step.

"Olive are you alright?" Chuck crossed the kitchen to comfort her friend.

Olive nodded and threw her purse onto the counter. She shot a glance to Ned before taking off her cardigan.

Ned turned his head aside so Chuck wouldn't notice the sadness for Olive in his eyes.

"Olive you didn't have to come in today." Ned said to a bowl of alive again peaches.

Olive didn't respond. Instead she grabbed her memo pad and headed out to the eager customers.

"She certainly doesn't handle hangovers well."

Unbeknownst to Chuck, Olive could handle hangovers. Whether or not she handled them "well" could be debated to no avail. Before she stumbled down to the Pie Hole, she had managed to reach a piece of paper and a pen. It wasn't as glamourous as the first letter, but it would have to suffice.

In her best "mid hangover" hand writing, Olive professed her love.

She stuffed the note under Ned's door, hoping Digby wouldn't get to it. She was positive that was the fate of the first letter since she had no reply.

Unbeknownst to Olive, Ned could handle secrets. He could hide them with the greatest of ease from anyone at anytime.

All Olive wanted was a slight nod, a wink, or maybe another kiss. But all she got in return was four customers demanding Peach Pandemonium Pie.

**Sorry It wasn't as long, but I hope to update soon!**


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